Ranking All 50 States Based on NBA Talent Produced (2024)

There have only been four players from North Dakota, and Landsberger had the longest tenure of any of them in the league.

With career numbers of 5.6 points, 6.1 rebounds and 3.8 assists, it’s easy to see that the choices weren’t exactly glamorous.

Johnson is finally getting a chance to show his stuff in Toronto, and it’s about time.

He’s got a ton of skill and athleticism, and he was truly stuck on Chicago’s bench since being selected.

Bridges was a double-double machine in the mid 1960s, and that’s an impressive feat.

However, it’s about time that New Mexico got a new player to claim as their own in the NBA’s talent pool.

Lamar Odom and Cuttino Mobley both went to the University of Rhode Island, but they were born elsewhere.

That leaves Marvin Barnes as the sole notable name to represent the tiny state.

Believe it or not, Nebraska just isn’t about producing talent on the gridiron.

Hoiberg was a solid piece on the perimeter before being forced into retirement.

When Billups was playing for the Nuggets, it must’ve been nice to be able to play in one’s home state.

Someone has to put in an effort to put Colorado on the map.

LaFrentz was a valuable commodity in the NBA for all of the wrong reasons when his behemoth contract was expiring, but he did harbor talent.

However, it’s pretty clear that the pride of Iowa has to be Kirk Hinrich.

Scott had a nice career with the Lakers, and he’s turned his league success into a career in coaching.

Utah has gotten a lot of praise for its BYU ballers, but the state needs some more home-grown talent.

Humphries has become a hot name over the last year, but he’s got a long gap to bridge before he can be mentioned in the same breath as McHale.

Let’s hope that the state produces some more notable NBA talent in the future.

Laimbeer was one tough player, and he made sure that everybody on the court knew it.

The beantown ballers have plenty of time to make an impression on this list, but right now, the crew has got some work to do.

Despite the lack of notable names, Connecticut has obviously contributed to the game.

Camby’s career has been marred by constant injury of late, but he’s one big man who has largely escaped public attention despite his defensive prominence.

Notable Names: David Lee, Jo Jo White, Tyler Hansbrough, Larry Hughes, Kareem Rush, Brandon Rush, Anthony Tolliver

This may not exactly be a standout group of talent, but they’ve all achieved some success in the league.

Jo Jo White is one player who really set the tone for this group.

The league’s iron man in A.C. Green is one that should never be forgotten.

Additionally, it’s a shame that more aren’t fully aware of the unbelievable legend of Mighty Mouse Stoudamire.

Van Exel had one of the most memorable free-throw strokes ever, as he basically shot it from just a couple steps inside the three-point arc.

Although Sprewell left the league on some uncomfortable terms, there’s no doubting his contributions during his prime.

If a state is going to be defined by its “big two,” West and Williams are certainly pretty good candidates to fill that role.

There’s plenty of room for growth here.

The greatest "what if" in a long time, Hardaway’s career would’ve been unbelievably prolific had it not been derailed by injury.

Fortunately, the same can’t be said for Oscar Robertson, who was a walking triple-double.

The Oklahoma talent pool will go as far as Blake Griffin’s broad shoulders will carry them.

Having said that, Starks’ dunk over Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen definitely belongs in the state’s Hall of Fame.

Barkley and Coleman should have some fans feeling nostalgic about the days of the old school power forward.

When this group also includes Big Shot Rob, there’s no doubting the talent that has come from Alabama.

Chapman was a beast on the perimeter, and the play of Cowens and Unseld speaks for itself.

However, it’s very possible that the most notable name to emerge from this crop is Rajon Rondo when it’s all said and done.

While some might not appreciate Big Country Reeves like I do, he’s not the reason that Arkansas comes in at No. 20.

Instead, let’s take a look at fantastic ballers like Lever, Moncrief and Pippen.

The District of Columbia has some great historical names on the list, but it’s going to be an uphill battle going forward.

They’re going to need a serious influx of talent in an effort to elevate in the rankings.

Some would like to argue that Ohio deserves to be higher up on this list due to LeBron alone, but I’m not one of them.

The state has a promising future with guys like James and Stephen Curry leading the way, but they’ve got a lot to live up to if they want to follow in the footsteps of John Havlicek and Alvin Robertson.

Alonzo Mourning and Moses Malone makes Virginia seem like a haven for big men down low.

However, it’s pretty clear that there’s some serious talent on the perimeter with names like Allen Iverson and Dell Curry as well.

There’s a serious competition brewing between southern states vying for position on this list.

In Mississippi, Ellis and Jefferson really represent the state proudly in the NBA today.

When some argue that Washington still deserves a top spot, I find it difficult to make a legitimate case.

There have been some solid contributions over recent seasons to the league, but not nearly as much as the states that came prior.

McDaniel was a tough guy in the NBA, but it’s probably fair to say that Garnett is the most intense of any of these guys mentioned here.

English was a player who was constantly under appreciated when he played, and it’s about time that he got some respect for his sweet mid-range game.

Georgia is a great place for basketball talent, and the three-time Defensive Player of the Year in Dwight Howard has shown that pretty rapidly.

A front-court pairing of Smith and Howard would not only make the state proud, but it would be downright nasty to watch.

There’s a lot to like about the Indiana crew, but they’ve got to have more names on the list before the state can move up in the rankings.

Bird and Kemp elevates the talent pool considerably, and Eric Gordon should really be able to make a sizable impression very, very soon as he’s on the verge of a full-fledged breakout.

When a state has hidden gems like Voshon Lenard, Dan Majerle and Jalen Rose, it’s pretty important to seed it in the top 15.

DeBusschere was a stout defender before the term was readily applied, and George Gervin continues to be under appreciated to this day.

First Chris Paul, then John Wall, so who’s going to be the next impressive point guard to come from North Carolina?

It’s fairly notable that the group includes guys who flew under the radar like Walt Bellamy, Sleepy Floyd and Happy Hairston, as it doesn’t take a superstar to have your game be appreciated in the league.

It’s not often that Florida gets hyped up as a basketball state, but I don’t really understand why that’s the case.

There have been some phenomenal contributors to the hardwood from the state, and that’s not something that just recently started.

People often forget that The Diesel hails from New Jersey, but he’s not the only major talent from the state.

There have been some players of major impact to emerge from the ranks, and it’ll be interesting to see how these ballers stack up head-to-head against New York into the future.

There aren’t a ton of notable names under the Maryland umbrella, but they all carry some serious weight behind them.

With Durant looking to put Maryland on the map, it shouldn’t be long before this group expands with an even greater amount of talent on the hardwood.

There’s a lot of talent emerging from Texas, and it’s obvious that it isn’t just a football hub any longer.

It’s going to be interesting to see what further talent comes from the enormous state, as they have really contributed recently to the league’s talent base.

Some may believe that a state with Bryant, Maravich and Chamberlain deserves to be even higher than this.

Although they’ve had some very notable names emerge, there needs to be a greater quantity produced who achieve success before I’m ready to move them up.

Louisiana is left out of the conversation with far too much regularity when discussing where the best NBA talent comes from.

When a state has guys like Drexler, Hayes, Malone and Parish, it is about time that we gave them proper due as a legitimate source for basketball skill.

Illinois comes close to cracking the top of these rankings, and the state has really had an influx of talent land in the NBA.

A backcourt of Wade and Rose would really be a dream come true for fans of Illinois basketball, but it’s one that will have to wait—at least for now.

Some refer to it as the mecca of basketball, and it’s fairly easy to see why that’s the case.

When the same state produces both His Airness and the inventor of the sky hook, it’s going to be tough to compete with the crew.

It’s kind of crazy that California continues to get brushed off as a serious talent pool for basketball talent, because that’s clearly not the case.

There has been an amazing group of players to have come to the NBA from California, and the pipeline doesn’t appear to be slowing down at any point soon.